If you’re interested in redesigning the layout of their kitchen, make sure you consider all your options and then choose the best floorplan for your household’s needs. Things you’ll want to take into account when deciding which layout works best for you, include how you’ll be using the kitchen, the size of your household, and your personal tastes.
Although there are many different kinds of kitchen floorplans to choose from, the 5 best kitchen layouts are listed below. These are the most popular with homeowners, and all 5 of these designs are stylish and functional at the same time. By taking the time to pick the right kitchen layout for your home, you’ll absolutely love your kitchen that much more. Here are the 5 best kitchen layout designs.
L-Shaped Kitchen Layout Design
The L-shaped kitchen design is a popular layout for homes consisting of smaller kitchens. It really makes use of space. If you’re unfamiliar with what an L-shape kitchen design is, it’s when all of your counter space and appliances are located on two adjacent walls. The reason it’s not the best option for larger kitchens is because the appliances tend to be too spaced out making it difficult for the cook. So, what are the benefits of an L-shaped kitchen?
First, like just mentioned above, the L-shaped kitchen design is spacious and provides the cook with a very efficient, functional, and comfortable work area. Trying to cook dinner in a cramped kitchen can be quite frustrating. Just because you have a small kitchen doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable. The L-shaped kitchen design will provide you with a lot of open space for moving around and cooking multiple dishes.
Second, the L-shaped kitchen design makes use of your kitchen’s corner space. By utilizing every inch of the room, you’ll make your kitchen look visually bigger while also opening up more usable area. Corners are great locations for microwaves, toasters, steamers, miniature wine racks, and even a variety of decorations. Since they’re there, you might as well make use of them.
Third, L-shaped kitchen designs help decrease through traffic. By having this open space, especially if you have two different exits connected to your kitchen, your family members and your guests can walk through freely without disrupting your cooking or causing accidents. The L-shaped kitchen design is truly a great layout for any house with a smaller kitchen.
The U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Design
This U-shaped kitchen layout design is a fine choice for medium-sized kitchens and larger kitchens with an island. This kitchen design is the perfect layout for anyone who loves to cook. By utilizing three walls, you can incorporate multiple cooking stations. This allows more than one cook to work at the same time without bumping into each other and causing unnecessary accidents.
The U-shaped design also makes use of corner space, even more than the L-shaped design does. By taking advantage of your corners, you’ll have more than enough room to incorporate other kitchen related items like cabinets, appliances, decorations, and other kitchen essentials without making this area of your home look messy or cluttered.
To add to this, the U-shaped kitchen layout keeps traffic out. Typically kitchens with a U-shaped design only have one exit. As a result, there’s no through traffic. Having someone quickly dash in front of you when you’re carrying a hot dish can cause an accident. With the U-shaped kitchen layout, you won’t have to worry about that.
The are only two real disadvantages to the U-shaped kitchen design. First, when this layout is used in an extremely large kitchen, the workstations tend to be too far apart. This can be quite problematic when trying to carry a hot, heavy dish from one cooking station to the next. In this situation, incorporating an island would be a wise decision. Second, when the U-shaped layout is used in a smaller kitchen, things can get quite cramped. The U-shaped design is perfect for medium-sized kitchens.
The G-shaped Kitchen Layout Design
The G-shaped kitchen layout is much like the U-shaped layout, but the difference between these two is that with the G-shaped design, you get a little peninsula on one of the ends. This means you have more counterspace to either store kitchen-related items or place appliances. You can even extend this peninsula out, add some chairs, and use it as a place to have a quick snack, make out your monthly bills, help your kids with their homework, or read the paper with your morning coffee.
Another benefit of the G-shaped kitchen layout design is the ability to build an extra, mini wall from the peninsula up to the ceiling. This gives the cook or anyone else working in the kitchen a little more privacy. The effectiveness of this is based on how long in length you extend the peninsula outward. The longer it is, the more privacy you’ll have. The additional mini-wall can also help block loud noises coming from other areas of the house.
As great as the G-shaped design is, there is one main disadvantage. When the G-shaped design is used in a smaller kitchen, it can feel quite cramped, especially with the peninsula sticking out. This is why the G-shaped layout is better suited in larger-sized kitchens. Many professionals say that the G-shaped kitchen layout is the most functional out of all the layouts. This is because they’re mainly used in larger kitchens and you have enough space to install multiple cooking stations.
Single Wall Kitchen Layout Design
The single wall kitchen layout design is a wonderful choice for homes with smaller kitchens and long and skinny kitchens. One of the biggest benefits to this layout option is that it doesn’t take up much room at all. In fact, pretty much everything you need while cooking is within arms length. Another benefit of the single wall layout is that by placing everything on one wall, you have more room for other items in your kitchen like a dining room table, furniture, a wine rack, and even stylish decorations.
Now, the obvious downfall to a single wall kitchen layout design is the lack of counterspace for storing kitchen related items and incorporating certain appliances. With this layout, you only get one wall. Another downfall to this design is the lack of efficiency. The person cooking might have to move from one end of the kitchen to the other multiple times while preparing a meal. It can also get quite crowded if you have more than one person cooking at the same time, that is unless the single wall layout is in a large kitchen.
The Corridor Kitchen Layout
The corridor kitchen layout, also known as the gallery layout, consists of two cooking stations located on parallel walls. Each of these cooking stations face each other. Typically, the sink and dishwasher are on one wall, and the parallel wall features the refrigerator on one end and the stove on the other. These three points form a triangle. This work triangle is quite useful and great for a single cook. Everything is in close proximity to one another.
One of the biggest downfalls for the corridor kitchen layout is that both of the parallel workstations need to be close to each other. If this layout is used in a really big kitchen, it’ll be harder for the cook to move from one workstation to the next. That’s why this kind of kitchen design is great for smaller and medium-sized kitchens in addition to long and skinny kitchens too.
Which is your ideal kitchen layout?
Now that you know the 5 most common kitchen layout designs, it’s time for you to decide which one is the best for your home. Like mentioned above, when choosing the layout right for your needs, you’ll want to consider the size of your kitchen, how you’ll be using it, and your personal preferences. For example, if you have a smaller kitchen in your home, you may want to consider the single-wall layout or the L-shaped layout. For medium-sized kitchens, the U-shaped layout and the corridor design are excellent picks. Lastly, the G-shaped kitchen layout is an excellent option for larger kitchens.
When it comes to functionality, for those homeowners who cook very little, the single-wall kitchen layout is a fine choice. On the other hand, if you cook by yourself regularly, the corridor kitchen layout works great. For those homeowners who like to host baking parties with their friends and families, the U-shaped layout or the G-shaped layout are great for multiple cooks.
As you can see, each of these 5 kitchen layout designs have their pros and their cons. You just need to choose the one right for your household. If none of the 5 kitchen layouts appeal to you, you can always create your own personalized layout design using software or sketching it out on paper. The important thing to remember is to choose a kitchen layout design that’s going to make your life easier, more comfortable, and increase the overall functionality of the room. It’s your kitchen, do what you want with it, and above all, have fun.
